The early years

THE TREFOIL AND THE OLYMPIC IDEA
In 1972, the world turned to Germany when the Olympic Games opened in Munich. Just in time for the event, adidas presented a new logo that was here to stay: the Trefoil. Then, symbolizing performance. Today, the adidas Originals collection stands for lifestyle and street. Times may change, but trefoiled quality will always remain.

BECOMING A TRUE MULTI-SPORTS SPECIALIST
From Herzogenaurach to the world: the 3-Stripes kept expanding to more and more sports throughout the years. This is reflected in the broad range of athletes who trust adidas to make them better: besides the usual suspects such as the world’s best football players, like the Argentinean national team, outdoor icon Reinhold Messner climbed mountains in adidas shoes and gymnast Nadia Comaneci scored a perfect 10 repeatedly. 

Football has always been at the core of adidas’ efforts and adidas always had the trust of the best of the best, like the Argentinian national team.

Outdoor icon Reinhold Messner was a close adidas partner too.

adidas expanded its portfolio of sports early on... to gymnastics, for example. Nadia Comaneci scored a perfect 10 with adidas equipment repeatedly.

DEATH OF A SHOEMAKER
Adi Dassler died on September 6, shortly before his 78th birthday. The man who almost single-handedly redefined the sporting goods industry and lifted the benchmark by a mile left behind a flourishing company. The end of one Dassler era became the start of another: Adi’s wife Käthe, with support from her son Horst, took over. 

A BROTHER-TO-BE FINDING ITS WAY: REEBOK ON THE MOVE
30 years after Joe and Jeff Foster renamed their grandfather’s company, Reebok was fit to lead. Literally. Following the booming fitness trend, women around the world work out in the Reebok Freestyle while fitness professional Gin Miller became the face of Step Reebok. And that’s not all: THE PUMP innovation hits markets in 1989, making Reebok a household name in other categories as well.